Syndiakonia-January 2018
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SYNDIAKONIA THE MONTHLY BULLETIN OF THE HOLY TRANSFIGURATION GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΟΡΘΟΔΟΞΟΣ ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑ ΜΕΤΑΜΟΡΦΩΣΕΩΣ ΤΟΥ ΣΩΤΗΡΟΣ Marietta, GA JANUARY 2018 Theophany-Baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ When You were baptized in the Jordan, O Lord, the veneration of the Trinity was revealed. For the voice of the Father gave witness to You, calling You the Beloved Son, and the Spirit, in the form of a dove, confirmed the certainty of His words. Glory to You, O Christ our God, who appeared and enlightened the world. Holy Transfiguration GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH 3431 Trickum Road Marietta, GA 30066 Tel. 770 924-8080 Fax 770 924-3030 Website: www.holytrans.org CHURCH OFFICE Open Monday-Friday, 9:30 am - 5:30 pm Secretary: Anne Willcocks E-mail: [email protected] SUNDAY SERVICES Orthros....... 8:30 am Divine Liturgy...... 10:00 am PARISH CLERGY Rev. Father Panayiotis Papageorgiou, Ph.D. Presiding Protopresbyter Rev. Father George Pallas, Protopresbyter Rev. Father John Brown, Protopresbyter Rev. Father Paul Lundberg, Presbyter PARISH COUNCIL MEMBERS Ken Bilson Ellen Linebaugh Terry Bliss Paul Markley Dennis Christopher Harry Mavromatidis Mike Jacobs Jon Papastrat Zack Kollias Steve Tingas Dennis Koutouzis Danny Vlahiotis Directions to our Parish: FROM I-75 Exit at 267-A. At 1st light, turn right (Sandy Plains Road). Continue for 3-4 miles until you see a CVS Pharmacy on your left. At that light turn left onto Trickum Rd. Proceed Approx 1/2 mile. Church will be on your left. You can’t miss it! http://www.holytransfiguration.info/directions/ !appy New Year May the New Year 2018 bring to all of you abundant blessings from God. Best Wishes from the Christian Orthodox Community of the Holy Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church of Marietta, Georgia. We are an Orthodox Parish in continuity with the Apostolic Traditions of the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church Fr. Panayiotis’ Message January 2018 A New Year - A New Opportunity Many new nears’ ago Jesus said this parable: "A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. And he said to the vinedresser, `Lo, these three years I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. Cut it down; why should it use up the ground?' And he answered him, `Let it alone, sir, this year also, till I dig about it and put on manure. And if it bears fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.'" (Luke 13:6-9) We as a parish are a fig tree planted by the Lord. Each one of us, as members of the parish, are branches of this fig tree receiving nourishment from the Holy Spirit. This new year offers us the opportunity to fulfill the desire of the Lord for us to present to Him the spiritual fruits of our lives. He has blessed us with so much. He expects us to bear the Fruits of the Holy Spirit, Love, Joy, Peace, Long- suffering, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-control (Gal. 5:22). He expects us to shine with His light to the world around us who is in darkness. The Holy Spirit Himself, who waters and nourishes us, is pleading with the Lord for one more year! "Grant them, Oh Lord, one more year and they will show their fruits!" This New Year 2018 must become the best year of our spiritual growth. We have no excuse. We have all the material things we need. We have a beautiful church. We have new buildings, new classrooms, new conference rooms, a new athletic court, even a new parking lot. This new year offers us the opportunity to produce real spiritual fruits. Of course, there can be no fruits if we do not grow personally, if we do not learn how to overcome selfishness and egotism and humble ourselves, if we do not learn how to pray and surrender to the Will of God, if we do not allow Him to lead our lives. There can be no spiritual growth if we do not take control over our passions, our anger and gluttony, the fleshly desires and our love of material things. There can be no growth if we do not cultivate the virtues of love and self-sacrifice for the Lord. This new year is a new opportunity for personal development according to the Will of God. We don't know how many more years He will patiently afford us, so we need to get to work. The Orthodox Church, through the experience of generations of holy men and women, has built a worship cycle to help us connect with God more easily. She has put in place the holy sacraments to help us receive God's Grace in order to transform ourselves and heal our wounds and passions. The new year offers us the opportunity to utilize these tools for personal growth. We are called this year to make the extra effort to attend a Saturday Vespers, to arrive early in church on Sundays and experience the Orthros prayers and hymns, to come to an overnight vigil and immerse ourselves in uplifting worship, to make sure not to miss a single service during Holy Week and experience His life on earth, which brought our redemption. Let's make an extra effort this year to read a spiritual book and challenge our minds to love God more. Let's take advantage of confession to wash away the filth from our souls. This year we need to approach Holy Communion with the "fear of God, faith and love" after proper preparation so that we may truly taste of the Kingdom of God. Let us live this new year as if it were our last one on this earth, so the Lord may bless it and grant us many more years filled with the fruits of the Spirit. May generations after us find nourishment in the spiritual fruits of our labors for many new years to come. 3431 Trickum Road Marietta, GA 30066 Tel. 770-924-8080, Fax 770-924-3030 Rev. Fr. Panayiotis Papageorgiou, Ph.D., Protopresbyter SCHEDULE OF SERVICES January 2018 December 31st Sunday evening. Great Vespers at 5:00 pm. January 1, Monday, Feast of the Circumcision of our Lord Jesus Christ, and St. Basil the Great. ! Orthros 8:45 am & Divine Liturgy 10:00 am. January 2, Tuesday Evening: Vesperal Liturgy for the Feast of St. Seraphim of Sarof 6:00 pm January 5, Friday, Forefeast of Theophany. !The Great Hours of Theophany 9:30 -11:00 am. ! Today we hold the fast in preparation to receive the Holy Water of Theophany (strict fast). !Evening: Great Vespers of Theophany 6:00 pm. January 6, Saturday, Holy Theophany. Feast of the Baptism of Christ (the Feast of Lights). ! Orthros, 8:30, Divine Liturgy 9:30 am followed by the Great Ayiasmos (Blessing of the Waters). Evening: Great Vespers 5:00 pm - Synaxis of St. John the Forerunner. January 7, Sunday, Synaxis of St. John the Forerunner and Baptist. ! Orthros 8:30 am & Divine Liturgy 10:00 am. ! Vasilopita Sunday: Today we will celebrate the Vasilopita for the benefit of St. Basil's Academy. January 8, Monday, Evening: Great Vespers 6:00 pm, Feast of St. Efstratios the Wonderworker. January 9, Tuesday, Feast of St. Efstratios the Wonderworker. ! Orthros 9:00 am & Divine Liturgy 10:00 am. January 13, Saturday, Great Vespers 5:00 pm. January 14, Sunday, Sunday after the Feast of Theophany. ! Orthros 8:30 am & Divine Liturgy 10:00 am. January 16, Tuesday, Great Vespers 6:00 pm. Feast of St. Anthony the Great January 17, Wednesday, Feast of St. Anthony the Great ! Orthros 9:00 am & Divine Liturgy 10:00 am. ! Evening: Great Vespers 6:00 pm - Feast of Sts. Athanasios and Cyril. January 18, Thursday, Feast of Sts. Athanasios and Cyril, Patriarchs of Alexandria. ! Orthros 9:00 am & Divine Liturgy 10:00 am. January 20, Saturday, Great Vespers 5:00 pm. January 21, Sunday, 15th Sunday of Luke. ! Orthros 8:30 am & Divine Liturgy 10:00 am. January 24, Wednesday, Evening: Great Vespers 6:00 pm, Feast of St. Gregory the Theologian January 25, Thursday, Feast of St. Gregory the Theologian SCHEDULE OF SERVICES . January 2018 ! Orthros 9:00 am & Divine Liturgy 10:00 am. !Thursday Evening: Great Vespers for the Feast of St. Xenophon 6:00 pm January 26, Friday, Feast of St. Xenophon & his Companions Orthros 9:00 am & Divine Liturgy 10:00 am. January 27, Saturday, Great Vespers 5:00 pm. Beginning of the Triodion January 28, Sunday, 16th Sunday of Luke - Publican and the Pharisee ! Orthros 8:30 am & Divine Liturgy 10:00 am. !Special Celebration of Greek Letters and the Three Hierarchs !This week, we do not fast on Wednesday and Friday on account of the hypocrisy of the Pharisee and acknowledging that fasting alone is not acceptable to God if it is not accompanied by humility and repentance. January 29, Monday Evening: Great Vespers for the Feast of the Holy Three Hierarchs 6:00 pm. January 30, Tuesday, Feast of the Holy Three Hierarchs, Basil the Great, Gregory the Theologian and John Chrysostom. Orthros 8:45 am & Divine Liturgy 10:00 am. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Holy Three Hierarchs and Ecumenical Teachers Wisdom from the Fathers on Prayer St. John Chrysostom says: "Prayer is a harbor in the storms of life, an anchor for those who are storm-tossed, the treasure of the poor, the security of the rich, the healing of the sick, the preservation of health. Prayer banishes evil things, and preserves the good." "Prayer silences the passions of the soul, assuages the rebellion of anger, dismisses envy, dissipates evil desire, withers the love of worldly things, and brings great peace and serenity to the soul." 3431 Trickum Road Marietta, GA 30066 Tel.